I woke up early the other day, and I noticed the tide was way out in the lagoon (this was when we were staying on the Southeast corner of Mindoro Island). Our bungalow was just some thin thatched walls and roof, and we left the door open for some ventilation all night so that in morning there were roosters doing rooster things, Tam was still snoozing away, and I seemed wide awake, so I decided to get up and go look in the tide pools.
My little alarm clock buddy, right outside my open front door. The little shit.
But, yeah, sunrise and low tide…
A wild sponge waiting around in the lagoon looking for some dishes to wash, or someone’s back that needs scrubbing.
A long spined sea urchin waiting in the lagoon for some early-morning, bleary-eyed old guy to step on him. There is something so crazy electric-blue about the blue spots on these guys. These are the ones that I am constantly getting spined by when I am out in these lagoons teaching kiteboarding. It is a rare day that I don’t come back in without a handful of spines in my feet (and, yes, I am wearing booties out there when I teach).
They are also quite delicious, so revenge is indeed sweet!
These are called “Sand Sifting Stars”. They are everywhere here, to the point that it is difficult not to step on them all the time in these lagoons. I try my best, but I have still never seen them wash up on the beach, so maybe it isn’t hurting them. They seem pretty tough.
The water is so ridiculously clear in these lagoons!
A semi-submerged “Chocolate Chip Starfish”. These guys are even more common than the Sand Sifting ones. The sand and coral bottoms of the lagoons are littered with them.
Again, the water is so crazy clear here. It makes for fun photographs and videos of weird sea creatures.
As you will see next…
Yep. There is some weird, weird shit out there in the ocean. This is called a “Synaptid Sea Cucumber”. I am not sure why this hasn’t been used in some undersea horror movie yet. It is creepy looking, but even more so when it starts moving.
Play the video if you dare… It is not for those easily weirded out.
Wind, Water, Waves, Wander 